And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom,.... To be ingenious in their business, and to study to do it in a curious manner, and to do that which others could not:
spun goats' hair; some join the phrase, "in wisdom", in the preceding clause with this, neglecting the accent "Athnach", which divides them, thus, "in wisdom spun goats' hair"; and which, without being separated from the preceding clause, may be understood and repeated in this: for, as Aben Ezra says, to spin goats' hair was an art that required excellent wisdom; and so Jarchi: in the eastern countries there is a sort of goats' hair very bright and fine, and hangs to the ground, and the beauty of it is equal almost…
John Calvin on Exodus 35:20–end
Exodus 35:20-35
20. And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses.
20. Egressi sunt universus coetus filiorum Israel a facie Mosis,
21. And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the Lord's offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments.
21. Veneruntque vir quem extulit cor suum, qui liberalis fuit spiritu suo: attuleruntque oblationem ad opus tabernaculi conventionis, et ad omne opus ejus, et ad vestes sanctitatis.
22. And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and brought bracelets, and…
Read the whole note in the consoleKeil & Delitzsch on Exodus 35:25-26
All the women who understood it (were wise-hearted, as in Exo 28:3) spun with their hands, and presented what they spun, viz., the yarn required for the blue and red purple cloth, the crimson and the byssus; from which it is evident that the coloured cloths were dyed in the yarn or in the wool, as was the case in Egypt according to different specimens of old Egyptian cloths (see Hengstenberg, Egypt and the Books of Moses, p. 144). Other women spun goats' hair for the upper or outer covering of the tent (Exo 26:7.). Spinning was done by the women in very early times (Plin. hist. n. 8, 48), particularly in Egypt, where women are represented on the monuments as busily engaged with the spindle (…
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